Wall construction and element



A ril 25, 1967 w. D. SWANSON WALL CONSTRUCTION AND ELEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 7, 1964 INVENTOR. WILLIAM D. SWANSON ATTORNEYS.

April 25, 1967 w. o. SWANSON WALL CONSTRUCTION AND ELEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 7, 1964 v QI INVENTOR. WILLIAM D. SWANSON A TTORNEYS.

April 5, 1967 w. o. SWANSON 3,315,429

WALL CONSTRUCTION AND ELEMENT Filed July 7, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I INVENTOR 3 29 WILLIAM D. SWANSON BY fig A TTORN E Y3.

United States Patent 3,315,429 WALL CONSTRUCTION AND ELEMENT William D. Swanson, Oakdale, Pa., assignor to National Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 7, 1964, Ser. No. 380,875 1 Claim. (Cl. 52588) The present invention relates to wall constructions, more particularly of the type adapted to form interior curtain walls of building constructions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a wall construction element comprising a panel of sheet material that can be easily assembled at the construction site.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a wall construction comprising panels of sheet material that can be easily erected and assembled in the field with the use only of hand tools.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a wall construction comprising a plurality of panels which as nearly 'as possible give the appearance of a single uniplanar and unitary interior wall construction.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide wall constructions and panels of sheet material for use therein, which will be relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, maintain and repair, and rugged and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a wall construction according to the present invention, viewed from inside the building of which the wall is an outer wall;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view, with parts broken away, taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is anenlarged cross-sectional view of a single liner panel according to the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view of the panel as seen in FIGURE 3, with parts broken away; and

FIGURES 5 and 6 are still further enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional views of portions of the liner panel, showing the assembly to each other of two adjacent panels.

In FIGURE 1, there is shown a wall construction indicated generally at 1 of the curtain wall type adapted to provide an exterior wall of a building such as a prefabricated sheet metal building. The wall construction includes a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal girts 3 which may for example be of channel cross section or hat-shaped cross section or other suitable cross-sectional configuration. Girts 3 support on their outer side a plurality of architectural facing panels 5 that provide the outer or weather-tight curtain wall of the building. Facing panels 5 having mating edge portions 7 that interlock to provide weather-tight joints between the facing panels. Fasteners 9 applied from the inside and passing through girts 3 secure panels 5 together and to the girts in the region of mating edge portions 7.

The panels that form the subject matter of the present invention comprise a plurality of elongated liner panels 11 disposed on the inner side of a wall construction 1, which is the side opposite architectural facing panels 5. liner panels 11 are vertically elongated and are of a length sufiicient to extend from top to bottom of the wall construction. The upper and lower ends of panels 11 may be integrated into the usual molding or eave constructions of curtain walls of this type by the use of conventional 3,3 15,429 Patented Apr. 25, 1967 construction elements (not shown). Preferably, a quantity of insulation 13, such as individual insulating batts, is disposed within each linear panel 11 between the panel and the girts 3.

Each panel 11 is of sheet material and is of substantially uniform thickness at all points. It is preferred that panels 11 be formed of metal, such as sheet steel. However, it is possible also to form panels 11 of other metals of, non-metallic materials, such as resin-impregnated glass fi er.

Each panel 11 comprises a uniplanar portion 15 which occupies most of the panel and in fact all of the panel except the edge portions of the panel. Uniplanar portion 15 is the portion of the panel that is exposed to the interior of the building. Portion 15 terminates along one longitudinal edge of the panel in a straight bend line 17 which will be disposed vertically in the normal installed position of the panel. A panel portion 19 extends reversely from bend line 17 behind portion 15 and terminates in a bend 21 of rather larger radius of curvature than the bend at line 17. From 'bend 21, a further panel portion 23 extends again reversely behind portion 19. Panel portions 15, 19 and 23 are parallel to each other. Portions 19 and 23 define between them a reentrant recess 24 that opens edgewise outwardly of portion 15 and which is disposed at least principally behind panel portion 15.

Panel portion 23 terminates edgewise outwardly in a bend line 25 from which a further panel portion 27 extends in a direction away from panel portion 15 and transversely of panel portion 15 and preferably perpendicular to portion 15. The disposition of portion 27 perpendicular to portion 15 permits portion 27 to bear loads applied against portion 15 most nearly as a column rather than as a beam. Portion 27 terminates in a bend line 29 which is a reverse bend from the bend at line 25, and a panel portion 31 extends from bend line 29 parallel to panel portions 15, 19 and 23, transversely of panel portion 27 and preferably perpendicular to panel portion 27. It should be noted that bend line 25 is spaced outwardly relative to the depth of recess 24 from bend line 27, so that bend lines 17 and 25 are not superposed nor are bend line 17 and panel portion 27 superposed. Preferably, the distance by which bend line 25 is thus spaced outwardly from bend line 17 is substantially less than the distance between bend line 17 and bend 21. It is also preferred that the distance between panel portions 15 and 23 be substantially less than the distance between panel portions 23 and 31, measured perpendicular to these panel portions.

Fasteners 33 extend through panel portions 31 from the inside and secure panels 11 to girts 3. In the assembled relationship, as can be seen in FIGURE 2, fasteners 33 are covered by insulation 13.

At the other longitudinal edge of panel 11, opposite the edge which is characterized by the features 1731, uniplanar panel portion 15 terminates in a straight longitudinally extending bend line 35. A flange 37 extends from bend line transverse to the plane of portion 15 and preferably perpendicular to that plane, and termimates in a bend line 39 of the reverse curvature from bend line 35. A lip 41 extends from bend line 39 generally edgewise outwardly relative to panel portion 15 and terminates in an edge 43 which is parallel to the length of panel 11 and parallel to the opposite longitudinal edge of panel portion 31. It is to be noted, however, that lip 41 is not flat or uniplanar and is not parallel to panel portion 15 at all points. Instead, lip 41 is inwardly concave, that is, it presents a generally convex surface to the plane of panel portion 15, from which it is inwardly spaced. This convex configuration of lip 41 may be achieved either by providing lip 41 with one or more very open bend lines, or by imparting an actual arcuate configuration to lip 41. The term convex as used in this specification and the appended claim applies to either configuration.

To assemble an inner curtain wall construction according to the present invention, on a framework provided by girts 3, after architectural facing panels 5 have been applied, it is necessary only to apply to girts 3 a batt or other suitable quantity of insulation 13, and then to lay a panel 11 in upright position on the insulation with panel portion 31 against girts 3. Fasteners 33 are then applied through panel portions 31 and girts 3, and may for this purpose if desired be self-tapping screws or other fasteners that need be applied from one side only.

The next steps of assembly are then shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 in which the panels 11 are shown being assembled from left to right. A quantity of insulation 13 is then laid against the next panel positioned to the right, covering the immediately previously applied fasteners '33, and a further panel 11 is interlocked with the previously applied panel 11 according to the steps shown sequentially in FIGURES 5 and 6. First, the edge 43 of the lip 41 is started into recess 24. It is most convenient to hold panels 11 diagonally as shown in FIGURE 5 during this insertion and, for this purpose, the outward spacing of bend line 25 from bend line 17 will be seen as important in facilitating this insertion. In other words, the extra length by which panel portion 23 extends edgewise outwardly beyond panel portion 19 provides a shelf or rest for edge 43 of lip 41 as the succeeding panel is first introduced into recess, 24, thereby to guide lip 41 into the recess.

When lip 41 has been fully inserted into recess 24, bend lines 17 and 35 will be disposed as closely as possible to each other and the uniplanar portions 15 of the two channels will be coplanar as seen in FIGURE 6.

If desired, a filler material (not shown) may be disposed in recess 24 on either side of lip 41, to prevent rattling and for insulating purposes. Such filler material can take the form of preformed strips of felt or elastic deformablemateri-al such as rubber.

The configuration of lip 41 relative to recess 24 during assembly of the panels 11 as shown in the positions of FIGURES 5 and 6 is also an important feature of the invention. Suppose, for example, that instead of the portion of lip 41 adjacent edge 43 being space-d closer to the plane of portion 15 than is the portion of lip 41 adjacent bend line 39, the reverse were true and lip 41 adjacent bend line 39 was closer to the plane of portion 15 than lip 41 adjacent edge 43. In this latter case, when the panel was tilted as in FIGURE 5 for insertion, the lip 41 would be at such a great angle to recess 24 as to preclude easy insertion. Instead, in the present invention, lip 41 adjacent edge 43 is closer to the plane of portion 15 than is lip 41 adjacent bend line 39, with the result that when the panel is tilted as in FIGURE 5 for insertion into recess 24, lip 41 may be even more closely in line with recess 24 than when the panel is fully seated as in FIG- URE 6. Insertion of lip 41 into recess 24 is thus facilitated by the present invention.

Consider another alternative, however, in which instead of lip 41 convex on its side toward the plane of panel por- 4 tion 15, the bend of lip 41 were reversed and lip 41 was concave on the same side as the plane of portion 15, in other words, upwardly concave as seen in FIGURE 6. In this latter instance, insertion of lip 41 in recess 24 would also be hindered, because the movement of the panel to the position of FIGURE 6 would cause the angle of lip 41 adjacent edge 43 to increase relative to recess 24, with the result that the terminal portion of lip 41 would tend to be at an undesirably large angle to recess 24. A sharp edge of the lip might thus tend to dig into portion 19; and, in any event, if a filler material (not shown) were disposed in recess 24 about lip 41, then the lip would tend to displace this filler mate-rial undesirably.

From a consideration of the foregoing disclosure, therefore, it will be evident that all of the initially recited objects of the present invention have been achieved.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be reported to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as those skilled in this art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

Whas is claimed is:

A wall construction panel comprising a major, uniplanar first portion terminating at one edge in a first bend line, a second portion extending reversely from said bend line along said first portion, a third portion extending reversely along said second portion and terminating in a second bend line, said second and third portions being substantially parallel to said' portion and together forming an edgewise, outwardly-opening re-entrant recess, a fourth portion extending from said second bend line about perpendicularly away from the plane of said first portion, and a fifth portion forming a lip extending along the opposite edge of said first portion generally parallel to said recess and laterally offset from said plane on the same side thereof as said recess a distance intermediate of the distances said second and third portions are spaced from said plane, the surface of the outer edge part of said lip forming fifth portion facing said first panel portion being convex, and the inner edge part being spaced more distantly than the outer edge part from'the plane of said first portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 220,181 9/1879 Slaughter 52531 416,851 12/1889 Norcross 52522 1,121,594 12/1914 Probert 52529 1,763,870 6/1930 Talmage 52-531 2,157,359 5/1939 Taprnan 52539 2,477,987 8/ 1949 Kinghorn 52--522 2,511,074 6/ 1950 Miller 52522 2,876,871 3/1959 Coffman et 'al 52588 X FOREIGN PATENTS 472,199 9/1937 Great Britain.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

A. C. PERI-1AM, Assistant Examiner. 

